Multi-function cleaning appliance

ABSTRACT

A multi-purpose cleaning appliance avoids the need for separate appliances for vacuuming and mopping, and includes a floor tool body including a base and wheels for supporting the floor tool body on a floor with the base above the floor; and a mopping module and a vacuum cleaner module that are interchangeably mountable to the floor tool body for mopping or vacuuming the floor respectively, with the mopping module configured to perform wet mopping.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to cleaning appliances havingtwo or more cleaning functions, and more specifically to cleaningappliances which perform both vacuuming and mopping.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wet mopping of a floor is a common household task that requires, inaddition to the mop, a tool such as a vacuum cleaner for initiallypreparing the surface, since a mop does not very satisfactorily pick upsolid debris or larger dust accumulations. Wet mopping involves applyinga cleaning liquid and rubbing the surface to loosen contamination, andincludes retrieving dirty cleaning liquid, to avoid the spread of dirtto other parts of the floor.

Appliances for wet mopping include an applicator for cleaning liquid andare distinguished by their ability to retrieve dirty cleaning liquidfrom the floor and capacity to store this dirty liquid. A wet vacuum canbe used to retrieve dirty cleaning liquid but appliances with a capacityto draw in reasonable liquid volumes have a high energy demand, whichtends to make them unsuitable for self-contained battery powered tools.Household appliances with a compromised wet suction capacity may besuitable for light wet mopping, but have the drawback in that, due thesmall size of suction paths, they are vulnerable to becoming clogged,unless the tool itself is regularly cleaned and the environment in whichit is used is relatively clean,

An absorbent element such as a sponge, or mop, is used to mop the floorin wet mopping appliances of another class in which this absorbentelement is regularly wrung out to retrieve spent cleaning liquid. Theappliance of U.S. Pat. No. 7,950,105, for instance, uses a mopcomprising an endless belt of absorbent material, the belt beingmotor-driven and continuously wrung out, with the wrung out dirty liquidbeing collected in an on-board tank, The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No.7,950,105 is herein incorporated by reference.

A lighter duty type of floor cleaning using a cleaning liquid, referredto as damp mopping, is performed using appliances that may also includean applicator for cleaning liquid and, for example, a detachable cloth,with the cloth intended to be discarded once it is soiled. Appliancesfor damp mopping, in contrast to those for wet mopping, have no abilityto hold the retrieved dirty liquid beyond the amount that can beabsorbed by the cloth.

In the place of separate appliances for vacuuming and mopping, a singlemulti-purpose vacuuming and (wet or damp) mopping appliance that offersgreater flexibility of use, as well as cost saving, would be a boon formany households. It is an object of the present invention to address theneed for such a multi-purpose appliance or, more generally, to providean improved multi-function cleaning appliance.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided acleaning appliance comprising:

-   -   a floor tool body including a base and wheels for supporting the        floor tool body on a floor with the base above the floor; and    -   a mopping module and a vacuum cleaner module that are        interchangeably mountable to the floor tool body for mopping or        vacuuming the floor respectively.

Preferably the vacuum cleaner module is a sub-assembly that includes:

-   -   an electrical circuit;    -   a vacuum motor connected to the electrical circuit;    -   one of first and second electrical couplers complementary to one        another and electrically coupled to the electrical circuit;    -   a fan driven by the vacuum motor;    -   an inlet nozzle through which ambient air, drawn in by the fan,        enters;    -   a separator downstream of the inlet nozzle for removing dirt        from an air stream;    -   an exhaust for expelling air from the vacuum cleaner module, and    -   a vacuum cleaner module battery pack;        the mopping module is a sub-assembly that includes:    -   a frame;    -   generally parallel frame-supported rollers supported on the        frame;    -   an endless belt that extends around the rollers and comprises        absorbent material, a floor-engaging section thereof extending        across the width of the belt for contacting the floor;        the floor tool body includes:    -   a power source;    -   a module-receiving recess that extends to an opening in the base        such that:    -   with the vacuum cleaner module in the module-receiving recess in        a mounted position the inlet nozzle is disposed in the opening,        and    -   with the mopping module hi the module-receiving recess in a        mounted position, the floor-engaging belt section projects        through the opening to engage the floor; and    -   the other of the first and second electrical couplers that        connects to the first electrical coupler when the cordless        vacuum cleaner module is placed in the module-receiving recess        to provide power from the power source to the electrical supply        circuit, and wherein    -   the vacuum cleaner battery pack comprises a third electrical        coupler of like form to the other of the first and second        electrical couplers, allowing electrical connection to the        electrical circuit for use of the vacuum cleaner module        independently of the floor tool body.

The term “battery pack” as used here refers n enclosure holding one ormore battery cells.

The cleaning appliance thus provides a single floor tool body, such asmay be moved manually, or autonomously, around a floor, that is able toperform vacuuming with the vacuum module installed, or to performmopping with the mopping module installed. For even greater flexibilityof use, at the same time as mopping is being performed, vacuuming can beperformed elsewhere, as the vacuum cleaner module can be assembled intoa self-contained hand-held vacuum.

Preferably the mopping module and a vacuum cleaner module are, in use,lowered into the module-receiving recess and urged by their own weightto their respective mounting positions. Preferably complementary tongueand groove parts disposed respectively on the floor tool body and eachmodule abut to guide the modules on a linear path when lowered intotheir respective mounting positions. Preferably one of the tongue andgroove parts is disposed on the first electrical coupler and the otherof the tongue and groove parts is disposed on the second electricalcoupler, whereby the first and second electrical couplers are connectedby relative linear sliding movement Preferably electrical contactsdisposed respectively on the first and second electrical couplers abutat the end of the relative linear sliding movement.

Preferably the appliance further comprises a body-mounted roller and adirty liquid reservoir mounted to the floor tool body, whereby in anoperating position the belt is pinched between the body-mounted rollerand a first of the frame-supported rollers to squeeze liquid from thebelt, which then drains into the dirty liquid reservoir, and the moppingmodule is movable relative to the floor tool body from the operatingposition to a released position in which the belt is released frombetween the body-mounted roller and the one of the frame-supportedrollers.

Preferably the body-mounted roller deflects the belt from a line that istangent to two adjacent ones of the frame-supported rollers, therebytensioning the belt.

Preferably the floor tool body further includes: a motor electricallyconnectable to the power source, and

-   -   a transmission coupled to the motor for providing torque to the        first of the frame-supported rollers when the mopping module is        placed into the module-receiving recess

Preferably the each of the frame-supported rollers engages an inner faceof the belt.

-   -   cooperating manually releasable connectors on the floor tool        body and mopping module may secure these two parts together in        the mounted position.

Preferably synchronising means are provided for synchronising peripheralspeeds of the housing-mounted roller and the first frame-supportedroller between which the belt is pinched in the operating position ofthe belt.

Preferably the synchronising means comprises a pair of meshed gears,each gear of the pair of gears being rotationally fixed to a respectiveone of the housing-mounted roller and the first frame-supported roller.

Preferably the frame-supported rollers further include second and thirdframe-supported rollers so that a lower run of the belt for engaging thefloor is supported between the second and third frame-supported rollers.

Preferably an upper run of the belt extends to the lower run and issupported between the first frame-supported roller and a forwardmost oneof the second and third frame-supported rollers.

Preferably the inlet nozzle is elongated to extend across the floor toolbody and further comprises a brush roll for engaging the floor and thefloor tool body holds a demountable bin assembly including a dust binwith a mouth elongated substantially parallel to the axis of rotation ofthe brush roll for receiving dirt swept into the mouth.

Preferably the cleaning liquid reservoir includes a liquid applicatorconfigured to apply a cleaning liquid to the belt from an onboardcleaning liquid reservoir. Alternatively the liquid applicator may applyliquid to the floor, or to a brush or other scrubbing device, ratherthan applying the liquid directly to the belt.

The liquid applicator is preferably disposed on the floor tool todispense the cleaning liquid evenly on the belt surface. In someembodiments, the cleaning liquid comprises water and/or water nixed withan active agent such as detergent, fragrance, disinfectant, and abrasiveparticles.

The cleaning liquid reservoir may be removable from the floor tool forfilling. Otherwise, if the cleaning liquid reservoir is integrated inthe appliance, the appliance may be configured to release the contentsof a cartridge of active agent into the cleaning liquid reservoir toensure the proper ratio of water to active agent. For instance, apiercing device in a cartridge-receiving cavity may be configured to penthe cartridge and allow its contents to drop into the cleaning liquidreservoir,

Preferably the liquid applicator comprises a powered actuator thatactuates a pump for drawing liquid from the reservoir and ejecting itfrom a spray nozzle.

Preferably the vacuum cleaner module comprises:

-   -   a cyclone chamber disposed alongside a dirt bin, such that the        cyclone chamber and dirt bin are substantially coextensive in an        axial direction of the cyclone chamber;    -   an inlet duct with one end adapted for connection to the inlet        nozzle, and an opposing end following a helical path to direct        circulating air near a perimeter of an inner axial end of the        cyclone chamber;    -   a vortex finder disposed centrally in the cyclone chamber,        through which air leaves the cyclone chamber;    -   a dirt outlet adjacent an outer axial end of the cyclone chamber        and communicating with the dirt bin, wherein with the vacuum        mounted on the floor head the dirt bin is below the cyclone        chamber.

Preferably the dirt bin is integral with walls of the cyclone chamber.

Preferably a hinged closure on the outer axial end opens both the dirtbin and the cyclone chamber.

Preferably the axis of the cyclone chamber is substantiallyperpendicular o an elongate axis of the inlet duct.

Preferably the fan/motor assembly is disposed in a fan/motor housingwith an axis substantially perpendicular to the elongate axis of theinlet duct.

Preferably the inlet duct is disposed centrally and the fan/moor housingand cyclone chamber walls are elongated substantially parallel to oneanother in a transverse direction on opposite sides of the inlet duct.

Preferably the exhaust is disposed in an outer axial end of thefan/motor housing. The outer axial end of the fan/motor housing may bedisposed opposite vent openings in a wall of the floor tool body.

Preferably the one of the first and second electrical couplers isdisposed centrally in a projecting part that projects from the walls ofthe cyclone chamber and the fan/motor housing.

Preferably the third electrical coupler mechanically couples the vacuumcleaner battery pack to extend in a cantilevered manner from the one offirst and second electrical couplers in a deployed position for use as ahandle.

Preferably the vacuum cleaner module comprises a fourth electricalcoupler of like form to the one of the first and second electricalcouplers, whereby connection of the third and fourth couplersmechanically couples the vacuum cleaner battery pack in a recessedstorage position, wherein the fourth electrical coupler is electricallyconnected to the electrical supply circuit.

In one embodiment the appliance is a cleaning robot comprising a drivesub-system controlled by a main control module and powered by a built-inpower module to autonomously move the floor tool body over a cleaningsurface normally in a forward direction defined by a fore-and-aft axisand where the nozzle and inlet floor-engaging belt section are elongatedin a transverse to the fore-and-aft axis.

With the vacuum cleaner module in place the surface cleaning robot isconfigured to collect a particulate matter from the surface and, afterreplacing the vacuum cleaner module with the mopping module, to cleanthe surface by applying a cleaning liquid to the surface and thenrecovering the waste liquid from the surface, with two containers orcompartments that are carried and store cleaning fluid and wasterespectively.

The robot preferably has a mass and dimensions that make it suitable forhousehold use. Its gross weight (fully filled with liquid) maypreferably be about 4 to 6 kg, and a tare weight of about 3 to 5 kg. Thegross weight should be no more than about 10 kg. The cleaning width, andthe overall width of the body, are in the range of about 20 to 50 cm,the height is in the range of 7.5 to 20 cm, and the length in the rangeof 20 to 70 cm. In some embodiments, the ground clearance is 3-7 mm, andthe wheels 30 to 60 mm.

To effectively rub the surface during mopping requires drag and relativesliding of the belt across the floor and, depending on the direction ofbelt movement, the belt can create drag or thrust. In the invention,both may be employed, for instance in one mopping mode with the beltdrive driven to oppose the motive force of the drive wheels, or inanother mopping mode with the drive wheels driven to oppose the motiveforce of the belt. To this end, the appliance may determine wheelrotation data as determined by a rotary wheel encoder, to determine howthe corresponding movement correlates with the output of other distancesensors, such as a LIDAR, camera or ultrasonic sensor,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a first embodiment of a cleaning applianceof the invention, from above;

FIG. 2 is a view from below of the appliance of FIG. 1 with the vacuumcleaner module installed;

FIG. 2 a is a control schematic of the appliance of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is an exploded pictorial view showing the main demountablecomponent parts of the appliance of FIG. 1 disassembled;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the vacuum cleaner module of the applianceof FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 is a pictorial view, from the rear, of the vacuum cleaner moduleof the appliance of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the electrical coupling of the vacuumcleaner module of FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of the battery pack of the vacuum cleanermodule of FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of the electrical coupling of the floortool body of the appliance of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 9 is an electrical schematic of the vacuum leaner module and floortool body of the appliance of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 10 is a section in a longitudinal plane through the vacuum cleanermodule of FIG. 4 ;

FIG. 11 is a cross section through the waste tank of the appliance ofFIG. 1 ;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are schematic sections (in a longitudinal plane)showing, respectively, insertion of the vacuum cleaner module, and finallocation of the vacuum cleaner module in to the appliance of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 14 is a pictorial view of the mopping module with the belt removed;

FIGS. 15 and 16 are schematic sections showing the location of themopping module in to the appliance of FIG. 1 , and

FIG. 17 is a pictorial view, from above, of a second embodiment of acleaning appliance of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 , a first embodiment of the cleaning appliance 10is of the robotic type, and may comprise a drive sub-system 34controlled by a main control unit 30 and powered by a built-in powersource 32 to autonomously move over a cleaning surface, normally in aforward direction defined by a fore-and-aft axis 11. The cleaningappliance 10 has a floor tool body 14 with a base 15 supported upon twoindependently driven wheels 12, 13 which may be coaxial, disposed towarda rear of the appliance 10, and which are driven by the drive sub-system34.

A pair of rollers 16 a, 16 b may be disposed, forward of the centre ofthe appliance and on opposite sides of the fore-and-aft axis 11 tocooperate with the driven wheels 12, 13 for supporting the appliance,particularly when used for vacuuming The rollers 16 a, 16 b may bemounted to rotate about a common transverse axis.

A hatch 16 may be mounted to the body 14 over a module-receiving recess17 that extends from a mouth 19 closed by the hatch 16 at its upper endto an opening 18 in the base 14 at its lower end. The opening 18 isgenerally elongated transversely and effectively defines the cleaningwidth. The appliance 10 includes a vacuum cleaner module 20 and amopping module 21, either one of which may be placed in themodule-receiving recess 17 so as to be interchangeably mountable to thefloor tool body 14 for mopping or vacuuming of the floor respectively.

The robot cleaning appliance 10 further includes a sensor unit 29 thatincludes a plurality of sensors attached to the housing and/orintegrated with the robot to sense internal and external states, inresponse to sensing various states, the sensor unit 29 may send anelectrical signal to the control module 30. Individual sensors detectobstacles, steep drops, dirt floor, low battery levels, liquid levels,wheel speed, wheel slip, vacuum suction levels, accelerations, magneticbearings, ultrasonic or laser rangefinder data, etc. The sensor unit 29may comprise positions sensors, such as microswitches, that sensewhether the vacuum cleaner module 20 or the mopping module 21 ispresent, and positioned for operation.

Depending upon whether the appliance 10 has the vacuum cleaner module 20or the mopping module 21 in place, operation of the vacuum cleanermodule 20 is controlled by a vacuum control unit 26 or the moppingmodule 21 is controlled by mopping control unit 27, with the maincontrol unit 30 coordinating driving of the robot with module operationto complete the cleaning task When mopping, a liquid applicator controlunit 28 controls the application of cleaning liquid to the floor.

The robot cleaning appliance 10 may also include a user control unit 25that provides one or more input interfaces that generate electricalsignals in response to user inputs and communicate the signals to themain control module 30, as from a touch or voice input.

The robot cleaning appliance 10 may also include one or more interfaceunits 33 mounted to the housing for connection to one or more externaldevices, as for exchanging operational commands, digital data and otherelectrical signals, or for charging the rechargeable battery powersource of the robot from an external power source. Interface units 33can be configured for communication over a wireless network, handheldremote control devices, local or remote computers, etc.

Other demountable components of the appliance 10 (shown in FIG. 3 )include a cleaning liquid reservoir 22, used together with the moppingmodule 21 for supplying cleaning liquid, and a waste tank 23. Thecleaning liquid reservoir 22 nests in the module-receiving recess 17above the mopping module 21. The waste tank 23 may be elongate andslidingly received in an aperture 24 in the body 14 to extendtransversely.

FIGS. 1-3 also show two rotary brushes 35, 36 mounted to the base 15 forengagement with the floor as they rotate about respective generallyupright axes. The brushes 35, 36 are mounted forward and outboard of theopening 18, with their swept diameter projecting transversely inward ofthe transverse ends of the opening 18 and transversely outward of thesides of the body 14. In this way, the brushes 35, 36 serve to extendthe effective swept width beyond the two ends of the opening 18 to thefull width of the appliance 10.

Referring to FIGS. 4-13 , the vacuum cleaner module 20 is a sub-assemblythat includes a vacuum unit 41 from which an inlet nozzle 39 and avacuum cleaner module battery pack 40 are demountable. The inlet nozzle39, through which ambient air is first drawn in, is elongated to extendacross the floor tool body 14 and comprises a brush roll 42 for engagingthe floor, performing a sweeping and agitating function as it rotatesabout a generally horizontal axis. The brush roll 42 is driven via abelt 44 by a brush roll motor 43 mounted in the nozzle body 45. Power issupplied to the brush roll motor 43 from an electrical circuit 37 of thevacuum unit 41 via mating connectors 47 that are joined when the vacuumunit 41 is connected to the inlet nozzle 39 at the port 46.

For generating the air flow, the vacuum unit 41 includes a vacuum motor38 that drives a fan 48 and is powered by the electrical circuit 37. Inturn, power may be provided to the electrical circuit 37 from the powersource 32 when the vacuum module 20 is mounted in the floor tool body 14when a first electrical coupler 51 electrically connected the powersource 32, is joined to a complementary second electrical coupler 52electrically coupled to the electrical circuit 37, as shown in FIG. 13 .In a stand-alone operation, when the vacuum module 20 is used separatelyof the floor tool body 14, power is provided to the electrical circuit37 from the battery pack 40 when a third electrical coupler 51 a, oflike form to coupler 51 and electrically connected to cells 50 of thebattery pack 40, engages the second electrical coupler 52, as shown inFIGS. 5, 9 and 10 . In this position the second electrical coupler 52the third electrical coupler 51 a mechanically couple the vacuum cleanerbattery pack 40 to extend in a cantilevered manner for use as a handlethat is centrally disposed in the vacuum module 20.

The vacuum unit 41 includes an inlet duct 53 with one end adapted forconnection the port 46 of the inlet nozzle 39. The inlet duct 53 isgenerally centrally positioned, with the assembly of the vacuum motor 38and fan 48 in a housing 49 on one transverse side and an assembly of aseparator 54 and dirt bin 55 on the other transverse side. The mass ofthese two assemblies advantageously generally balance one another aboutthe central, longitudinally-aligned handle.

The separator 54 for removing dirt from an air stream is downstream ofthe inlet nozzle and may include a cylindrical cyclone chamber 56disposed alongside the dirt bin 55 with air introduced near a perimeterof an inner axial end of the cyclone chamber 56. Opposite the inletnozzle end, the end of inlet duct 53 defines a helical 25 path 57imparting circulating flow with an axial component. A dirt outlet 58adjacent an outer axial end of the cyclone chamber 56 communicates withthe dirt bin 55. In use, with the vacuum unit 41 mounted on the floorhead, the dirt bin 55 is below the cyclone chamber 56. In thisembodiment, the dirt bin 55 is integral with wails of the cyclonechamber 56 and the cyclone chamber 56 and dirt bin 55 are substantiallycoextensive in an axial direction of the cyclone chamber. A vortexfinder 59 through which air leaves the cyclone chamber 56, is disposedcentrally in the cyclone chamber 56 and may be foraminous or include amesh for further filtering of the air. The air then travels transverselyto the opposite side of the vacuum unit 41 where it is expelled throughan exhaust 59 in an outer axial end of the fan/motor housing 49. Theouter axial end of the fan/motor housing 49 may be disposed oppositevent openings 160 in a wall of the floor tool body 14. A hinged closure76 on the outer axial end opens both the dirt bin 55 and the cyclonechamber 54 for emptying and cleaning.

The fan/moor housing 49 and cyclone chamber 56 may be elongatedsubstantially parallel to one another in a transverse direction and onopposite sides of the inlet duct 53. On the opposite side of the inletduct 53 to the dirt bin 55 may be a cavity 60 in the fan/motor housing49 for storing the battery pack 40. For securing and charging thebattery pack 40 a fourth electrical coupler 52 a, of like form to thesecond electrical coupler 52, is disposed at the inner end of the cavity60. Connection of the third and fourth couplers 51 a, 52 a mechanicallycouples the vacuum cleaner battery pack 40 in this recessed storageposition, in which the fourth electrical coupler 52 a is electricallyconnected to the electrical circuit 37 for charging.

The electrical couplers 51. 51 a, 52, 52 a may be sliding type couplersof a known type that provide both mechanical and electrical connection.The couplers 51, 51 a may be a female element comprising a concavity 61with opposing edges from each of which a like tongue 62, 63 projects.The mating couplers 52, 52 a is a male element comprising a projection64 with generally parallel opposing edges in each of which a like groove65, 66 is formed. With the tongues 62, 63 received in the grooves 65, 66the couplers slide linearly relative to one until mating electricalcontacts 67, 68 disposed respectively on the first and second electricalcouplers abut at the end of the relative linear sliding movement. Thecooperating tongues 62, 63 and grooves 65, 66 may be generally parallelor they may taper a small amount to converge at the mounting position toavoid any clearance or “play” between the connected couplers. A detent69 on one cooperates with a shoulder 70 on the other to hold thecouplers in their connected state.

With the sliding axes of the couplers 51, 51 a, 52, 52 a generallyupright, as shown in FIG. 12 , the vacuum module 20 is lowered into themodule-receiving recess 17. The brush roll 42 is disposed at the frontof the nozzle body 45 opposite a ramp part 71 that terminates at anaperture 72 having a closure 73. The closure 73 is removed or openedbefore the vacuum module 20 is lowered into its mounting position (FIG.13 ) where the aperture 72 is in registration with a mouth 173 of a binpart 74 formed in a lower forward end of the waste tank 23. The brushroll 42 is rotated (anti-clockwise with respect to FIG. 12 ) so as todrive debris up the ramp part 71, through the aperture 72 and into thebin part 74. In this mounted position the inlet nozzle is disposed inthe opening 18 with its lowermost surface generally above the floor. Aresilient blade 77 for engagement with the floor may be disposedrearward of the inlet to the floor nozzle and span the width of thefloor nozzle.

The general configuration of the mopping module 21 is like that of U.S.Pat. No. 7,950,105, comprising three generally parallel rollers 80, 81,82 supported for rotation at opposing ends in journals (not shown)mounted to a frame 84 with the belt 85 extending about all of them suchthat each engages an inner face of the belt 85. The belt 85 comprisesabsorbent material, and may have a circumferential internal rib 86received in a circumferential channel 87 in the rollers to preventwandering. A lower run 88, supported between the lowermostframe-supported idler rollers 81 and 82, defines a floor-engagingsection of the belt 85 for engaging and mopping the floor and whichextends through the opening 18. An upper run 89 of the belt extends tothe lower run 88 and is supported between the (first) uppermostframe-supported roller 80 and the forwardmost roller 81.

Cooperating with the mopping module 21, and mounted on the body 14 at anedge of the module-receiving recess 17, is a body-mounted roller 83. Inan operating position the belt 85 is pinched between the body-mountedroller 83 and the first frame-supported roller 80 to squeeze liquid fromthe belt 85.

Below the body-mounted roller 83, a channel 100 extends substantiallyalong the width of a top wall 101 of the waste tank 23 and drains, via acentral portion 102, to an inlet aperture 103 leading into the wasteliquid reservoir 104. An elongate resilient wiper 105 is mounted in thechannel 100 and engages the length of the body-mounted roller 83. Thedirty liquid reservoir 104 further includes an electrical coupling (notshown) connected to a liquid level sensor (not shown) for actuating alevel warning indicator (not shown). A closable outlet 97 is providedfor emptying the reservoir 104 when the waste tank 23 is removed fromthe body 14 at the same time that the bin part 74 is emptied.

A motor 90 in the body 14 is powered from the on-board power source 32to turn the belt 85. A transmission coupled to the motor 90 includes adrive gear 91 that is meshed with a driven gear 92 fixed to the roller80, thereby providing torque to the roller 80. The driven gear 92 isalso meshed with a gear 93 rotationally fast with the body-mountedroller 83 thus providing synchronising means for synchronising theperipheral speeds of the two rollers 80, 83 between which the belt ispinched and the a drive gear 91 a that is meshed with a driven gear 92fixed to the roller 80.

It will be understood that the body-mounted roller 83 deflects the belt85 from a line that is tangent the adjacent frame-supported rollers 80,82 thereby tensioning the belt 85, such that removing the mopping module21 allows the belt 85 to be removed from the frame 84, if required.

The cleaning liquid reservoir 22 is a separate unit from the moppingmodule 20 and is installed in the module-receiving recess 17, nestedabove the mopping module 20. A wall 111 of the cleaning liquid reservoir22 may be planar and disposed opposite the upper run 89 of the belt. Aliquid applicator 112 disposed on the floor tool body 114 receivescleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid reservoir 22 via a fluidcoupling (not shown) connected by insertion of the cleaning liquidreservoir 22, and may include a pump (not shown) controlled by themopping control unit 27 to expel the cleaning liquid through spraynozzles (not shown) evenly on the surface of the upper run 89.

The invention is equally applicable to other types of cleaningappliance, particularly cordless appliances, such as the cleaningappliance 10 a shown in FIG. 17 , which has a floor head 75 connected toan elongate handle 78 by which the cleaner is manually moved. The floorhead 75 may be supported upon a floor on wheels 79. The lower end of thehandle 78 may bifurcate, forming a pair of yoke arms 94, 95 that eachconnect the handle 78 to the body 75 for pivoting about a generallyhorizontal axis 96, about which the wheels 79 may also rotate. The floorhead 75 is adapted for interchangeably receiving the mopping module 21and vacuum cleaner module 20, which are lowered into themodule-receiving recess and urged by their own weight to theirrespective mounting positions in the manner described above, in general,the cleaning appliance 10 a has the construction of the roboticappliance 10, but with the robotic drive sub-system 34 replaced by thehandle 78.

A power source (not shown) in the floor head 75 is provided for poweringthe mopping module 21 and vacuum cleaner module 20 via an electricalcoupler 151 of the same configuration as coupler 51. A hatch 16 a may bemounted to the floor tool body 14 a over a module-receiving recess 17 athat extends from a mouth 19 a closed by the hatch 16 a at its upper endto an opening 18 a in the base 14 a at its lower end. The opening 18 ais generally elongated transversely and effectively defines the cleaningwidth. Either one of vacuum cleaner module 20 and a mopping module 21may be placed in the module-receiving recess 17 a so as to beinterchangeably mountable to the floor tool body 14 a, or the floor toolbody 14, for manual or robotic mopping or vacuuming of the floorrespectively.

Depending upon whether the appliance 10 a has the vacuum cleaner module20 or the mopping module 21 in place, operation of the vacuum cleanermodule 20 is controlled by a vacuum control unit (not shown) or themopping module 21 is controlled by mopping control unit (not shown).When mopping, a liquid applicator control unit (not shown) controls theapplication of cleaning liquid to the floor. The robot cleaningappliance 10 a may also include one or more interface units 33 a foruser control settings.

Cleaning liquid reservoir 22 is also used on appliance 10 a togetherwith the mopping module 21 for supplying cleaning liquid, and waste tank23. The cleaning liquid reservoir 22 nests in the module-receivingrecess 17 a above the mopping module 21, in the same manner as in theappliance 10. Likewise, the features of the appliance 10 for cooperatingwith the mopping module 21 are present in this appliance 10 a, such asthe body-mounted roller 83 a that cooperates to pinch the belt 85 tosqueeze liquid from the belt 85.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of exampleonly and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions maybe made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.

1. A cleaning appliance comprising: a floor tool body including a baseand wheels for supporting the floor tool body on a floor with the baseabove the floor; and a mopping module and a vacuum cleaner module thatare interchangeably mountable to the floor tool body for mopping orvacuuming the floor respectively.
 2. The cleaning appliance of claim 1wherein the vacuum cleaner module is a sub-assembly that includes: anelectrical circuit; a vacuum motor connected to the electrical circuit;one of first and second electrical couplers complementary to one anotherand electrically coupled to the electrical circuit; a fan driven by thevacuum motor; an inlet nozzle through which ambient air, drawn in by thefan, enters; a separator downstream of the inlet nozzle for removingdirt from an air stream; an exhaust for expelling air from the vacuumcleaner module, and a vacuum cleaner module battery pack; the moppingmodule is a sub-assembly that includes: a frame; generally parallelframe-supported rollers supported on the frame; an endless belt thatextends around the rollers and comprises absorbent material, afloor-engaging section thereof extending across the width of the beltfor contacting the floor; the floor tool body includes: a power source;a module-receiving recess that extends to an opening in the base suchthat: with the vacuum cleaner module in the module-receiving recess in amounted position the inlet nozzle is disposed in the opening, and withthe mopping module in the module-receiving recess in a mounted position,the floor-engaging belt section projects through the opening to engagethe floor; and the other of the first and second electrical couplersthat connects to the first electrical coupler when the cordless vacuumcleaner module is placed in the module-receiving recess to provide powerfrom the power source to the electrical supply circuit, and wherein thevacuum cleaner battery pack comprises a third electrical coupler of likeform to the other of the first and second electrical couplers, allowingelectrical connection to the electrical circuit for use of the vacuumcleaner module independently of the floor tool body.
 3. The cleaningappliance of claim 1 wherein the mopping module and a vacuum cleanermodule are, in use, lowered into the module-receiving recess and urgedby their own weight to their respective mounting positions.
 4. Thecleaning appliance of claim 3 wherein complementary tongue and grooveparts disposed respectively on the floor tool body and each module abutto guide the modules on a linear path when lowered into their respectivemounting positions.
 5. The cleaning appliance of claim 4 wherein one ofthe tongue and groove parts is disposed on the first electrical couplerand the other of the tongue and groove parts is disposed on the secondelectrical coupler, whereby the first and second electrical couplers areconnected by relative linear sliding movement.
 6. The cleaning applianceof claim 1, further comprising a body-mounted roller and a dirty liquidreservoir mounted to the floor tool body, whereby in an operatingposition the belt is pinched between the body-mounted roller and a firstof the frame-supported rollers to squeeze liquid from the belt, whichthen drains into the dirty liquid reservoir, and the mopping module ismovable relative to the floor tool body from the operating position to areleased position in which the belt is released from between thebody-mounted roller and the one of the frame-supported rollers.
 7. Thecleaning appliance of claim 6 wherein the body-mounted roller deflectsthe belt from a line that is tangent to two adjacent ones of theframe-supported rollers, thereby tensioning the belt.
 8. The cleaningappliance of claim 6 wherein the floor tool body further includes: amotor electrically connectable to the power source, and a transmissioncoupled to the motor for providing torque to the first of theframe-supported rollers when the mopping module is placed into themodule-receiving recess.
 9. The cleaning appliance of claim 6, whereinthe each of the frame-supported rollers engages an inner face of thebelt.
 10. The cleaning appliance of claim 6, wherein synchronising meansare provided for synchronising peripheral speeds of the housing-mountedroller and the first frame-supported roller between which the belt ispinched in the operating position of the belt.
 11. The cleaningappliance of claim 10 wherein the synchronising means comprises a pairof meshed gears, each gear of the pair of gears being rotationally fixedto a respective one of the housing-mounted roller and the firstframe-supported roller.
 12. The cleaning appliance of claim 6, whereinthe frame-supported rollers further include second and thirdframe-supported rollers so that a lower run of the belt for engaging thefloor is supported between the second and third frame-supported rollers.13. The cleaning appliance of claim 10 wherein an upper run of the beltextends to the lower run and is supported between the firstframe-supported roller and a forwardmost one of the second and thirdframe-supported rollers.
 14. The cleaning appliance of claim 1, whereinthe inlet nozzle is elongated to extend across the floor tool body andfurther comprises a brush roll for engaging the floor and the floor toolbody holds a demountable bin assembly including a dust bin with a mouthelongated substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the brushroll for receiving dirt swept into the mouth.
 15. The cleaning applianceof claim 10 wherein the cleaning liquid reservoir includes a liquidapplicator configured to apply a cleaning liquid to the belt from anonboard cleaning liquid reservoir.
 16. The cleaning appliance of claim10 wherein the liquid applicator is disposed on the floor tool todispense the cleaning liquid evenly on the belt surface.
 17. (canceled)18. The cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein the vacuum cleaner modulecomprises: a cyclone chamber disposed alongside a dirt bin, such thatthe cyclone chamber and dirt bin are substantially coextensive in anaxial direction of the cyclone chamber; an inlet duct with one endadapted for connection to the inlet nozzle, and an opposing endfollowing a helical path to direct circulating air near a perimeter ofan inner axial end of the cyclone chamber; a vortex finder disposedcentrally in the cyclone chamber, through which air leaves the cyclonechamber; a dirt outlet adjacent an outer axial end of the cyclonechamber and communicating with the dirt bin, wherein with the vacuummounted on the floor head the dirt bin is below the cyclone chamber. 19.The cleaning appliance of claim 18 wherein the dirt bin is integral withwalls of the cyclone chamber.
 20. The cleaning appliance of claim 18wherein a hinged closure on the outer axial end opens both the dirt binand the cyclone chamber.
 21. The cleaning appliance of claim 18, whereinthe axis of the cyclone chamber is substantially perpendicular to anelongate axis of the inlet duct.
 22. The cleaning appliance of claim 18,wherein the fan/motor assembly is disposed in a fan/motor housing withan axis substantially perpendicular to the elongate axis of the inletduct.
 23. The cleaning appliance of claim 18, wherein the inlet duct isdisposed centrally and the fan/moor housing and cyclone chamber wallsare elongated substantially parallel to one another in a transversedirection on opposite sides of the inlet duct.
 24. The cleaningappliance of claim 19, wherein the exhaust is disposed in an outer axialend of the fan/motor housing.
 25. The cleaning appliance of claim 18claim 19, wherein the one of the first and second electrical couplers isdisposed centrally in a projecting part that projects from the walls ofthe cyclone chamber and the fan/motor housing.
 26. The cleaningappliance of claim 25, wherein the third electrical coupler mechanicallycouples the vacuum cleaner battery pack to extend in a cantileveredmanner from the one of first and second electrical couplers in adeployed position for use as a handle.
 27. The cleaning appliance ofclaim 26, wherein the vacuum cleaner module comprises a fourthelectrical coupler of like form to the one of the first and secondelectrical couplers, whereby connection of the third and fourth couplersmechanically couples the vacuum cleaner battery pack in a recessedstorage position, wherein the fourth electrical coupler is electricallyconnected to the electrical supply circuit.
 28. (canceled)